Goodbye, Moon
by bkozak
Summary: When Ran and Conan spend the evening star gazing, something goes wrong... very wrong. Conan has to choose his dying words carefully...because in death, he doesn't want to be remembered by meaningless words.
1. Dangerous Star gazing

Goodnight, Moon  
Chapter One- Dangerous Star Gazing  
  
It was another warm summer night, and Conan, Ran, and Kogoro had decided to take a relaxing walk by the lake. The silvery half-moon was planted at the top of the sky, and a few faded stars were visible, but most were blocked off by the lights of the city. Kogoro was not taking kindly to the presence of Conan, but Ran has insisted he come because Conan worked just as hard as he. Kogoro argued it was past Conan's "bedtime", but Ran just rolled her eyes, and asked, "Since when did you start caring about how much sleep Conan got? Just yesterday you had him up all night cleaning your mess!" Conan was happy he was allowed to tag along, but he was even more happy that Ran's hand was clamped securely over his.  
  
As they were walking quietly by the shoreline, something in a bush not too far away rustled.  
  
"Did you hear that, Ran?" whispered Conan.  
  
"No...you're just tired". She replied, rustling his hair with her hand. She suddenly fell backward, and landed softly in the grass with her arms out stretched, looking into the night sky.  
  
"Sit." she said, patting the ground next to her, and he did so. Kogoro had wandered off somewhere, leaving Ran and Conan alone to gaze at the night sky together. It was times like these Conan wished he were still Shinichi.  
  
"Isn't it amazing, Conan? Just look at how beautiful the moon is tonight." she whispered, drawing in a deep, relaxed breath.  
  
"Yes, Ran... it is amazingly stunning tonight, like it always is." repeated Conan, stealing a glance at Ran. "The moon has kept me company for many years... I just love staring up at the night sky after a tough case and pondering about galaxies beyond." Conan said, smiling. Conan was beginning to get a bit older, and Ran noticed how he looked more and more like Shinichi everyday. Ran felt like she was lying at his side at this very moment.  
  
"Hey Conan... you're farsighted, right?" Conan nodded, wondering why she was asking. She reached for his glasses. "You won't need these to look at the moon." she said, carefully removing his glasses and placing them next to him. Ran couldn't believe how alike Conan and Shinichi looked.  
  
Blushing, Conan said, "Yes, you're right. I suppose I don't need these to look at the moon." It felt nice not to wear those unnecessary pieces of plastic.  
  
The two lay for a while, absorbing the mysteries of universes beyond until the warm breeze turned cold, and the moon began sinking lower in the sky.  
  
"Conan-kun...are you cold?" Ran asked, seeing that Conan was shivering. He nodded...it was getting chilly out. "I brought an extra sweat shirt along," she said, tossing it to Conan, "I hope it helps."  
  
Conan wrapped the sweat shirt around his shoulders like a scarf. He smelled the sweat shirt, and was pleased with it. It smelt like Ran's favorite scent- sweet pea. He closed his eyes and imagined Ran hugging Shinichi by the stars, rather than Ran gazing into the night sky with some little kid.  
  
Just then, Conan saw something on the far side of the lake move. Ran's eyes were closed, so he knew she couldn't have seen it. A dark figure was sliding something into the water. Discreetly, Conan moved about twenty feet closer, hiding behind a tree to see if he could get a better look. Squinting, Conan saw something horrible. He gasped and staggered backward. He had just seen the man slide someone's body into the lake.  
  
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Conan tripped over his own feet running to Ran so he could tell her. He landed face-down next to her, but got up quickly and shouted, out of breath,  
  
"Ran.... just saw a man ... slip a body into the lake!" He managed to say between fear making his voice shake and gasping for air. Ran did not take him seriously.  
  
"Conan, you're just tired. Nothing's wrong. Let's go home now so you can get some sleep." she picked his glasses off the ground and placed them safely on his face.  
  
"No, Ran! I saw it with my own eyes! The man's right there!" he screamed frantically, pointing to the small black figure. The man had obviously heard Conan's screams and disappeared behind a bush before Ran could look.  
  
Ran turned her head to look at what Conan was pointing to, but she saw nothing. "There's nothing there... I can't believe you'd lie to me like this!" she said, once again grabbing a hold of his hand.  
  
Conan was struck with fear. There was a killer on the loose who knew Conan would foil his plans if he didn't do something about it. He fought Ran's grasp, but her hands only tightened.  
  
"What has gotten INTO you?" she shouted, a little angry. Conan heard something move nearby.  
  
"RAN! We've got to get out of here! He's coming!" Conan screamed frantically.  
  
"Conan, it's just my father, I bet." she replied, waving her free hand in the air as if signaling him. "Over here, Dad!" she shouted. Conan finally broke free of her grasp, and he pushed her to the ground, placed his hand over her mouth, and shoved her waving hand painfully down to the earth.  
  
"Ran, trust me. On the count of three, we're going to make a run for it." he whispered, voice shaking. Ran ripped Conan's hand away from her mouth.  
  
"Are you CRAZY?" she screamed, now furious. She stood up quickly, wiping the dirt off of her jeans. "We're going to be fine! There's nothing wrong! We're going to walk home slowly." She said, mind furiously set. "This is the last time Conan's coming on a walk with ME in the middle of the night..." she decided angrily to herself. Conan saw the dark figure step out from a tree behind Ran. He saw something glinting in his hands. He was walking slowly toward her. Fear immediately blackened his heart when he saw the killer get closer to the woman he loved.  
  
"Ran, watch out!" Conan screamed, knocked Ran off her feet once again and out of the mad mans way. She was about to go over the edge until she saw what Conan was trying to warn her about the whole time. Her eyes widened with fear and surprise when she finally realized Conan was right. There was a killer on the loose...and he was hunting them.  
  
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Ran stood up, and shouted, "Conan...let's make a run for it!" and took off like a rocket in the other direction. The mad man ran after her and knocked her to the ground, cutting her cheek with a deep gash.  
  
"Ran!" Conan shouted, running over to her. The man turned away from Ran and advanced on Conan. A medium sized dagger was visible in his hand. "Come here, nosey little boy..." he beckoned in a hoarse and dated voice. Conan began slowly backing away until he ran into the stump of a tree. The man grabbed Conan's shirt, and held the knife back, ready to kill Conan.  
  
"I don't like little boys who interfere with my plans" he growled, "and after I've finished you off... I'll get that little girlfriend of yours..."  
  
Conan was struck with panic. What was he going to do with her? Kill her? Rape her? He shouldn't have gone snooping. Not only was he in danger, but now Ran was, too.  
  
"No! Conan!" Ran screeched, struggling to get off the ground. She had fell hard on her legs. The man seemed to feed on her screams and pleas, and brought the knife closer to him. A cold sweat trickled down Conan's face. He knew there was nothing he could do.  
  
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Ran lurched forward suddenly, bolting like a maniac to stop the mad man, but she was too late. The man had stuck the dagger into Conan's chest, ans such a blood curdling scream arose from his mouth, it could awake any creature within miles of Conan.  
  
Conan fell to the ground, eyes wide, gasping for air. The pain tore at his chest as blood spilled all over the grass. He looked up to see the man chuckling, but right behind him was Ran. She struck the mans head so hard, the knife flew out of his hand and landed about ten feet away from him.  
  
Suddenly, Kogoro appeared, running and out of breath.  
  
"I heard a scream," he said, panting, but he couldn't believe what he saw. There was Ran, crouching over the crumpled and bloody body of Conan. He saw a crazy man, slowly inching his fingers to reach the dagger that had been knocked out of his reach. Kogoro ran over to where the man was trying to reach the knife and stepped on all of his fingers furiously, possibly breaking them. "You stay the HELL away from them!" His shout echoed through the trees.  
  
"Father...get this man out of here and call an ambulance... quick!" Ran said, tears running down her face. "I...I'll stay with Conan!"  
  
Ran collapsed at Conan's side, grabbing his tiny hand and placing it in hers, and she could feel his fingers getting colder. His eyes were opened slightly, and his free hand was grasping the gushing wound in his chest.  
  
"Ran..." he whispered feebly, causing her to inch closer so she could hear. "I...I don't think I'm going to make it." he said, looking into her eyes.  
  
"Don't talk like that, Conan-kun... you're going to be fine." she said, trying to convince herself as much as Conan.  
  
"No... I've cheated death once before," he said, remembering the big shrink, "and if it's my time, then I must go."  
  
Ran slowly shook her head, in denial. What did he mean he cheated death?  
  
"Look at the moon, Ran," said Conan, drawing in deep gasps in order to keep awake, "it's beautiful. Just like you." he said, a very feeble smile crossing his lips. Conan knew any minute he would black out. Now was his chance to tell Ran his secret. "Ran... I've been keeping a secret from you for too long."  
  
Ran's eyes widened. Was Conan going to revel what she had been suspecting with his last few gulps of air?  
  
Conan sighed, and quickly thought, "Do I really want to leave the world with Ran knowing she had not only lost the little boy she cared for, but also the man she loved?"  
  
"I can't do it." he said out loud. A part of his soul died when he knew he would be leaving the world without Ran knowing the truth. Perhaps it was better this way.  
  
"Promise me, Ran, you will live a happy life...and forget Shinichi." Ran gasped as cold tears ran down her face. "Promise!" he demanded slightly louder, only draining his energy more.  
  
Why would Ran ever want to forget Shinichi? Yet she couldn't break the little boys heart, so she repeated, "I....I promise." She intended to keep the promise. It was what Conan wanted for a final request.  
  
Conan choked out his fears and decided to say something a little more forward. "Ran...I ... love you."  
  
Ran felt flattered, yet her heart only grew colder when she knew Conan's life was winding down. She lowered her head and gently kissed his cold cheek. His salty tears brushed against her soft, warm lips. Conan, with a last effort, rose the hand that had been resting on his wound and swept it softly against the gash in her own cheek, leaving a large streak of his blood on her wound. "This way...I can be forever bond with her, by blood." he thought.  
  
Conan raised his eyes to look at the beautiful night sky one last time. "Goodbye, moon..." he said, sputtering, and at last, his eyes met hers, and he said quietly, "Goodbye, Ran." The words had barely escaped his lips before the world around him was engulfed in darkness, and the last thing he saw was Ran crouched over him in disbelief.  
  
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There's the first chapter, I hope you enjoyed it! The second one is coming soon, within a day or two, I just need to type it up. Reviews are appreciated! 


	2. A Broken Promise

Goodbye, Moon Chapter Two- A Broken Promise  
  
Ran was sitting in a cold hospital chair placed next to Conan's bed. It broke Ran's heart to see Conan's horrible condition. Bandages were wrapped around his chest, and he had an oxygen mask wrapped around his face. Several IVs were hooked into his arm, and also a feeding tube. There were little probes attached to his neck and chest (under the bandages) that monitored his heart rate on the large machine that was rolled against his bed. Conan had been in a coma for two weeks and hadn't woken up yet.  
  
Ran had dark red circles under her eyes. She had barely slept since Conan's accident, and she refused to leave Conan's side in the cramped hospital room. She had been crying for so long she felt her eyes would dry up.  
  
"If only I listened to him... he wouldn't be hurt right now..."She thought, feeling fully responsible for his accident. "And yet..."She wondered, "His final words... he was going to tell me a secret, but he never did..."She had been wondering what could be so horrible that he wouldn't even let himself mutter the words before death consumed him.  
  
"It.. It couldn't be..."She thought. She had been noticing the traits of Shinichi taking over Conan's childish personality more and more lately. "And if that's so... and he told me he loved me..."She thought, immediately feeling beyond foolish.  
  
"That's impossible. There's no reason for me to be thinking this way... of COURSE Conan loves me... I've been like a mother to him."She said, smiling, and blushing a little as a fantasy of Shinichi telling her he loved her filled her mind.  
  
She was fantasizing, looking closely at Conan's little face when she saw his eyes crack open for the first time in weeks. Joy consumed what she believed were foolish thoughts as the heart monitor began jumping with Conan's quickening and steadying heart rate. Ran flew out of the chair she was sitting in to get a nurse.  
  
Conan could vaguely hear Ran screaming for a nurse. He didn't know what she was saying. The room was still very dark, until gradually it began to brighten, and Conan's senses began to rejuvenate.  
  
The new light and the white paint on the walls were almost blinding after two weeks of complete darkness. He could feel immense pain in his chest, and it hurt to breathe. He was beyond grateful for the oxygen mask. The spot where all of the IVs were inserted throbbed. He didn't know how long he'd been out, what condition he was in, or where anyone was.  
  
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Conan lie awake until Kogoro, Ran, and a nurse came storming into the room.  
  
"The little guy pulled through!" Said Kogoro. The man who was doubtful he would live was now filled with a new hope.  
  
"Looks like he's finally out of that Coma," Said the nurse, relieved, "I shouldn't say finally, though... in Coma-time, you were only out for a blink of an eye. Some of our patients aren't as lucky as you were, Conan."  
Conan turned his eyes toward Ran and was taken aback. Her eyes were swollen and red, and she looked as if she hadn't slept in weeks. She immediately ran over to Conan.  
  
"Oh Conan... thank God! I thought you'd never wake up!" She said, moving closer. She then whispered in his ear, "I love you too, Conan-kun." A faint smile appeared on Conan's face. It was all his strength could muster, though on the inside he felt as if he would burst with happiness.  
  
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"He's going to be alright, then?" Kogoro asked the nurse.  
  
"Yes... his health is improving quickly. In a few days, he'll be able to breathe on his own." replied the nurse, walking over to Conan. "No more oxygen mask for you, little guy!" she said happily, scratching a few things onto her clipboard.  
  
Conan was relieved. He desperately wanted to know what was going on. From what the nurse has said previously, he was guessing he couldn't have been in a coma too long, so that was good. One other thing he had to do, though, was talk to Ran. He didn't want to wait the few days, but he had no choice.  
  
"For now, though," the nurse said, shooing the two out the door, "Conan needs his rest. I'm afraid you'll have to leave."  
"Nooo...." Ran protested, whining, "I can't leave him by himself. He needs me now more then ever!" The nurse shook her head apathetically in reply.  
  
"I'm sorry. Rules are rules. Visitation hours are over."  
  
Ran looked over to Conan, who looked like he'd fall asleep any second. "I'll be in the hospital waiting room with Father. Don't worry." She finally left the room, overjoyed. Conan had come over the attack, and was going to be alright after all.  
  
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A few days passed, Ran came and went each day after the nurse argued with her about visitation hours, and finally, after seventeen days in the hospital, the nurse said he could remove the oxygen mask and some of the IVs. Conan was very excited when the nurse came to take the now unnecessary appliances off of him. She reached for the mask, smiling, and after telling him, "You've been strong," she peeled it off his face.  
  
He took his first breath on his own, and it felt good. It was an accomplishment for him to take a breath, even though other people all around him were doing the same thing nonchalantly.  
  
"I'll be back in approximately twenty minutes to get your IVs." said the nurse before leaving the room. Ran, of course, was right be Conan's side.  
  
"Hey, Conan." Ran said soothingly, setting a small wrapped gift on his night table. His eyes glimmered like diamonds when he saw her.  
  
"I've been waiting forever to talk to you." he whispered hoarsely, not used to talking yet. "Or at least it seemed like it has...tell me, Ran," he said, pausing only to cough, "How long has it been?"  
"Seventeen days, Conan..." she replied. The dark circles under her eyes became more evident as she moved closer in order to hear all of Conan's weak words. She stared into his deep blue eyes, without bearing the burden of his glasses. They looked so beautiful.  
  
"It seemed to me like the blink of an eye, yet at the same time... a painful, dreamless eternity. I was wondering why my soul hadn't been put to rest." Conan said quietly.  
Ran shook her head, her bottom lip trembling. "Conan, I'm so sorry! I...I didn't mean for this to happen... if only I had listened..." Ran said, pouring out her guilt to Conan at last. Conan beckoned Ran to come even closer. He knew his voice wouldn't hold out much longer before his body forced him to take another nap.  
  
"Ran...hug me." he said, his simple demand calming her. She carefully wrapped her arms around his small shoulders. "Ran, I'm here with you now, talking to you. Please, don't feel guilty any more. I don't want to be a part of your regrets- I want to be a comforter for you."  
"Oh Conan, I don't know what I'd do without you! You always know just what to say." Yet as she held him closely, she wondered about the secret again. Was this a bad time to ask him?  
  
"Hey, Conan," she said, wondering if he was prepared for this, "That night... you said you had a secret... why couldn't you tell me?" she choked out. Conan's face paled even more than the Coma caused it to be.  
  
"Ran, you have to understand... I can not tell you. I don't know if I ever can." He rose his weak hand to meet hers and feebly gripped it. "If those words were my last words to you, Ran... you would feel even worse. I couldn't do that to you."  
What if Conan had told her his secret, and really died? Conan would be leaving Ran without more than just Conan; he'd be leaving her without Shinichi. He'd be leaving her with her knowing she'd been so close to Shinichi all this time, and never did anything about it. She'd be confused, lonely, and depressed.  
  
"It was for your own good." he assured, seeing the hurt expression in her eyes.  
  
"I...I don't think I understand. But, if you ever know the right time to tell me, please do. You can trust me." Conan nodded.  
  
"And Ran? You don't have to keep that promise you made. I don't know what I was thinking... you love him... so go for it." Conan smiled.  
  
Ran obviously bought the story of him being delusional. "Thank you, Conan. As soon as you get healthy enough, I can tell you all about how we caught that crook you saw." She kissed his bruised little hand and rose.  
  
"Well, I have to leave now, Conan. The nurse is coming back to get your IVs. So.. I guess I'll see you tomorrow." she said, leaving the room slowly. He could tell she didn't want to leave his side. When she had gone, Conan wearily whispered to himself,  
  
"Ran broke my dying wish... our promise. Just like that, it is forgotten.  
  
.... and I couldn't be any happier. I love you, Ran."  
  
he managed to say before drifting off.  
  
FIN  
  
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Well, the story is over. I hope you liked it, and I appreciate the comments. Don't worry, that criminal is getting a lot of time in jail ;) 


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